Dostana (2008 film)

Plot

Sameer "Sam" Malhotra, a male nurse, and Kunal Chauhan, a fashion photographer, are carefree bachelors living in Miami. They first meet while looking to rent the same apartment, which belongs to Neha Melwani, a fashion editor at Verve, who lives there with her conservative aunt, Ishita. Since Neha is only willing to live with women, the two men pretend to be a gay couple to secure the lease.

After moving in, both Sameer and Kunal become close friends with Neha and eventually fall in love with her, despite continuing their charade. Complications arise when Kunal, a non-citizen, asks Sameer, a British national, to register a domestic partnership with him to obtain legal residency. Their situation becomes more chaotic when the approval letter is sent to Sameer's mother, Rani, in London, who is shocked by the news and travels to Miami.

Neha attempts to impress her boss, Murli "M" Lokhande, by inviting him for dinner, hoping to be promoted after his resignation. However, the dinner is interrupted by an immigration officer and Rani's unexpected arrival. Mistaking the gathering for a celebration of their relationship, Rani is dismayed, while M feels deceived and announces that Abhimanyu "Abhi" Singh will be the new editor instead of Neha.

Disappointed, Neha receives support from Rani, who slowly accepts Sameer's supposed sexuality. Meanwhile, Kunal and Sameer assist Neha on a project assigned by Abhi, leading to her professional redemption. When Abhi and Neha start dating, Kunal and Sameer sabotage the relationship out of jealousy, unaware that Neha still believes they are gay. Neha misinterprets their interference as attraction to Abhi. She discovers that Abhi was divorced and has a young son named Veer.

They continue their attempts to derail the relationship by manipulating Veer, into fearing a future with Neha. As Abhi prepares to propose, Neha seeks Kunal and Sameer's advice. They reveal their deception and confess their love for her. Shocked and hurt, Neha evicts them from the apartment and resigns from Verve. Abhi ends the relationship after learning about the manipulation.

Months later, Sameer and Kunal reunite at an immigration office and decide to reconcile with Neha. At a fashion show, they attempt to apologise, but Neha remains angry. In a public display, they admit their mistake, kiss to prove their sincerity, and propose to Abhi on Neha's behalf. Amused, Abhi accepts.

Two months later, Neha jokingly asks Sameer and Kunal if pretending to be gay affected them emotionally. They deny it, but briefly recall their kiss—leaving the question hanging as a "touchy topic."

Cast

The cast is listed below:

• Abhishek Bachchan as Sameer "Sam" Malhotra
• John Abraham as Kunal Chauhan
• Priyanka Chopra as Neha Melwani
• Bobby Deol as Abhimanyu "Abhi" Singh
• Kirron Kher as Rani Kaur Malhotra
• Sushmita Mukherjee as Ishita "Ishu" Melwani
• Boman Irani as Murli "M" Lokhande
• Shrey Bawa as Veer Singh
• Edward Sonnenblick as a magazine editor
• Shilpa Shetty as an item dancer in the song "Shut Up & Bounce"

Production

Development

During the production of Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), assistant director Tarun Mansukhani conceived the idea for Dostana as a story of three strangers sharing an apartment. After the film wrapped, Karan Johar encouraged him to write the script, expressing interest in producing it. Mansukhani chose Miami as the setting, drawn by its vibrant culture and lifestyle. He developed the screenplay over eight months, crafting it as a light-hearted romantic comedy that would subtly explore themes of sexuality and social perception.

While friendship, love, and live-in relationships had been explored in Hindi cinema, Mansukhani sought to bring freshness by incorporating a gay storyline, a subject rarely touched upon in Bollywood at the time. He intentionally avoided a didactic tone, preferring an entertaining approach that would reach broader audiences. The film was officially titled Dostana in February 2008, named after Yash Johar’s 1980 production. Johar described it as a love triangle with a “never-before twist.” The gay element was not revealed until the trailer's release. Manan Sagar was the editor, and Salim–Sulaiman composed the background score.

Casting

Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham, and Priyanka Chopra were cast in the lead roles. Aishwarya Rai was initially approached but declined, not wanting to appear opposite another man in her first post-marriage film with Bachchan. Saif Ali Khan also declined, citing discomfort with the pairing. Shilpa Shetty was signed for a cameo in the opening song sequence.

Bachchan described his role as Sam as one of his most challenging, working to portray a straight man pretending to be gay without exaggeration. Both he and Abraham underwent physical transformations, losing weight to achieve the film's beach-ready aesthetic. Chopra declined to wear a bikini but agreed to a one-piece swimsuit, explaining that her toned look was due to a rigorous workout schedule while simultaneously filming Fashion (2008).

Costume design

Costume design was handled by Manish Malhotra (for Chopra) and Aki Narula (for the rest of the cast). Malhotra styled Chopra in bright, youthful clothing to match her character's role as a fashion editor in Miami, including shorts, tank tops, and a custom-designed gold swimsuit made from two stitched pieces. Her look was deliberately modern and minimal, avoiding embroidery and focusing on satin, chiffon, and georgette fabrics.

Malhotra also styled Chopra in a silver sequined sari for the song "Desi Girl", originally intended to be a gown. Johar and Mansukhani approved the unconventional decision, giving the outfit a contemporary twist to suit the Miami setting.

Narula, unfamiliar with Miami fashion, traveled there for research before styling Abraham and Bachchan. Abraham's wardrobe included swim trunks, flip-flops, and slogan tees, while Bachchan wore colorful cargo pants, cotton shirts, and signature scarves. Narula also styled supporting characters, using bold accessories and luxury brands for the fashion world and traditional looks for family roles like Kirron Kher’s.

Filming

Ayananka Bose served as cinematographer and emphasized natural light and a bright frame to capture the film's summery, vibrant tone. He described the office set as a technical challenge due to glass walls, but praised the apartment and dance set designs.

Farah Khan choreographed the song "Desi Girl", while Vaibhavi Merchant handled the remaining numbers. The item song "Shut Up & Bounce" was shot in early April in Miami, and the "Maa Da Laadla" remix video, featuring the three leads, was filmed in mid-October at Filmistan Studio in Mumbai.

Soundtrack

Main article: Dostana (soundtrack)

The music for Dostana was composed by the duo Vishal–Shekhar. The album features lyrics by Anvita Dutt Guptan (three songs), Kumaar (two songs), and Vishal Dadlani (one song), who also provided vocals on four tracks. The soundtrack includes six original songs, performed by a variety of artists including Vishal Dadlani, Shankar Mahadevan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Master Saleem, Shreya Ghoshal, Amanat Ali, and Shaan.

The album was released on 10 October 2008 under the Sony Music label.

Marketing and release

Promotional stills from Dostana were released to the media in late July 2008 and received a positive response. The film's first theatrical trailer debuted in mid-August and garnered significant attention due to the film's gay subplot—an element not disclosed during production. The trailers, along with the film's music, fashion, and styling, generated early buzz and contributed to its strong marketing campaign.

The film was promoted through various brand collaborations. Verve magazine dedicated its November 2008 issue to the film, featuring Priyanka Chopra on the cover and including interviews with Chopra, Tarun Mansukhani, and Karan Johar, as well as fashion editorials from the film's set. Although Chopra did not wear Maybelline products in the film, the brand featured her in an associated advertising campaign, using behind-the-scenes content and interactive promotions. Additional partnerships included Facebook, where promotional ads encouraged users to form groups modeled on the lead characters, and Pantaloons, which showcased apparel from the film in 43 stores across India.

Home media

Dostana was distributed on home video by Yash Raj Films and released on DVD on 30 December 2008 in a two-disc edition available in all regions. Special features included behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes, music videos, bloopers, cast interviews, and interactive segments such as the "Do the Dostana" challenge and theatrical trailers. A VCD version and a single-disc DVD were also released simultaneously. The film was issued on Blu-ray on 14 December 2009.

Reception

Box office

Dostana was released theatrically on 14 November 2008, with a combined production and marketing budget of ₹210 million. The film opened to strong box office returns, with occupancy rates of over 80% at multiplexes and 60% at single-screen theatres. It grossed approximately ₹53 million on its opening day and earned ₹173 million over its first weekend in India. By the end of its first week, the domestic total reached ₹267 million.

The film maintained its box office momentum in its second week despite the release of Yuvvraaj, emerging as the highest-performing Hindi film of the period and was declared a hit. Overseas, Dostana performed particularly well in key markets such as the United Kingdom and the United States, collecting ₹261 million. Its final worldwide gross exceeded ₹871 million, including over ₹610 million from the domestic market, making it the seventh highest-grossing Hindi film of the year.

Critical reception

Dostana received generally positive reviews, with praise directed at the performances of the lead cast, the film's humour, styling, soundtrack, and cinematography. Critics also noted the film's light-hearted portrayal of homosexuality—unprecedented in mainstream Hindi cinema at the time.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 81% based on 16 reviews, with an average rating of 5.5/10. The Guardian called the film "a straight victory for gay comedy", praising director Tarun Mansukhani for delivering "one of the gayest films ever made in any country but in which almost no one is actually gay". Rachel Saltz of The New York Times described it as "a decent-hearted comedy" that "irreverently normalizes a topic that has been virtually absent from screens in India". David Chute of LA Weekly called it "a pure star-vehicle, gliding along on charm and timing".

Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama rated the film 4 out of 5, noting its potential to "push the envelope" and called it "a winner all the way". The Times of India echoed this sentiment, also awarding 4 out of 5 stars and praising its "infectious zest and effervescence". Pratim D. Gupta of The Telegraph rated the film 7.5/10 and noted its ability to be both humorous and emotionally resonant. Writing for Future Movies, Raam Tarat gave a score of 3.5 out of 5, calling it "a great, fun entertainer with lots of charm and great music".

Khalid Mohamed of the Hindustan Times also awarded 3.5 out of 5, highlighting its "pop colour Miami locations, high-end costumes, and A-grade Dharma Productions values". Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN described it as “a barrel of non-stop laughs,” stating that “it puts the fun back into the movies.” ''The Hindu'''s Sudhish Kamath appreciated its social implications, calling it “great mass entertainment” that could “bring parents and children together to share laughs over alternative sexuality”.

In a more critical take, Raja Sen of Rediff.com found the film “genuinely entertaining” but expressed disappointment in its portrayal of homosexuality, suggesting that it might reinforce stereotypes rather than challenge them.

Accolades

Impact

Homosexuality

Dostana was the first mainstream Indian film to address homosexuality and is credited with initiating public discourse on the subject in India. Its release brought attention to sexual orientation, a topic previously underrepresented in Hindi cinema. Screen described the film as "a giant leap for the gay people in Indian films," and its themes sparked widespread debate. A report by Bollywood Hungama noted that “the fact that it is a mainstream film with two mainstream heroes taking the plunge—even showing a prolonged smooch and courtship—should have the pink brigade cheering.”

LGBTQ rights activist and journalist Ashok Row Kavi praised the film for not reducing gay characters to caricatures: “I am glad, for the first time in Indian popular cinema, gays were not turned into caricatures and made fun of.” The acceptance of a homosexual character by his mother in the film was seen as a significant gesture toward normalizing homosexuality within Indian families. According to Daily News and Analysis, the film helped bring “gay talk” into the mainstream: “Films like Dostana are playful and funny and bring sexuality as a dinner-table conversation piece.”

Writing for Mint, Namita Bhandare observed that the film “brings homosexuality out of the fringe and into the drawing room,” and described it as helping to break taboos around the subject. Karan Johar said he received thousands of emails after the film's release from teenagers who were grateful that their parents became aware of the issue through the film. In a 2016 interview, Johar said: “People criticized me for stereotyping homosexuality in Dostana. It’s ridiculous how unaware people were before. The film, at least, brought the conversation into the drawing room of every urban home.”

Fashion

The film's fashion and styling received widespread attention both before and after its release. Priyanka Chopra's golden swimsuit and John Abraham's yellow trunks were prominently discussed in the media and among fashion critics. The film set several fashion trends, with Chopra's silver sari in “Desi Girl” becoming particularly iconic. Its popularity led designer Manish Malhotra to offer versions of it in his store. The wardrobe choices of the lead actors, especially Abhishek Bachchan's floral shirts and Chopra's vibrant wardrobe, became popular among college students and young audiences.

Dostana is frequently cited as one of the most stylish Hindi films. In 2013, it was voted the Most Stylish Film by Filmfare, and Bollywood Hungama ranked it the most stylish Bollywood film of all time.

Shelved sequel

In June 2019, Dharma Productions announced a sequel titled Dostana 2, to be directed by Colin D'Cunha. The film was set to star Kartik Aaryan, Janhvi Kapoor, and newcomer Lakshya in the lead roles. Principal photography began on 8 November 2019, but the project was hampered by delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and reported casting issues. In December 2021, Bollywood Hungama reported that the sequel had been shelved indefinitely.

Notes

References

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